Iran Condemns Israeli Strikes on Lebanon, Calls for UN Action

Iran's Foreign Ministry has issued a strong condemnation of recent Israeli military actions in Lebanon. The strikes targeted the Bekaa region and the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp near Sidon, resulting in significant casualties.

The ministry's spokesman, Esmail Baqaei, stated that the attacks constitute a clear violation of Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire agreement established on November 24, 2024.

Baqaei placed direct responsibility for these actions on the United States and France, citing their role as guarantors of the Lebanese-Israeli ceasefire deal. He called for immediate intervention by the United Nations and the UN Security Council to fulfill their legal obligations and stop further aggression.

The latest violence occurred on Friday, with Israeli attacks in eastern and southern Lebanon killing at least 12 people. In the Bekaa Valley, air strikes hit a building in the town of Riyaq, leading to more than ten fatalities and at least thirty wounded individuals being treated in local hospitals.

Israel's military asserted that it targeted what it described as Hezbollah command centers in the Baalbek area. A source within Hezbollah confirmed that a military leader from the group was among those killed.

Separately, an Israeli drone strike hit the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp. Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health reported at least two people were killed in that attack on the country's largest Palestinian camp.

The current hostilities follow a "cessation of hostilities" announced by Hezbollah and Israel on November 27, 2024, which was intended to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701. That resolution calls for Hezbollah's withdrawal from areas south of the Litani River and for Israeli forces to leave Lebanese territory, allowing only UN peacekeepers and the Lebanese army in that zone.

However, Israel has repeatedly violated the agreement since its announcement. It has maintained control over five strategic points inside Lebanon and conducted near-daily attacks, breaching the truce hundreds of times.